Feb012021February 1, 2021February 15, 2021by Masters TTRacer

How to train for time trials

Posted in Time Trial Tips

Riding a great time trial isn’t as simple as just riding hard from start to finish. Strategy, pacing, and your position on the bike all play a part. Watch the following short video (05:12) from the Global Cycling Network (GCN) about the best way to train for your first, second, or latest time trial.

How to train for time trials?

What have I learned?

To ride time trials fast, you need to work on your pacing. Novice racers will start too fast due to excitement and inexperience. Then, they will fade badly in the second half of the race. Experience will correct this over time, but completing a series of race-paced intervals twice a week will also help. The goal will be to complete several race-paced intervals whose total time will equal or exceed the length of time of your race.

Specificity rules when it comes to time trialling. Training for a time trial is very different than training for a road race or criterium. The emphasis is on endurance, rather than sprinting at top speed for short periods of time against several competitors.

You’ll also need to train on your time trial bike in your aero position. This familiarity will pay off. It’s all about getting good at riding fast on a bike that’s vastly different to your regular road bike.

Ask Me Anything!

Questions about time trial training?

Have questions or concerns about any aspect of time trial training or racing? Chances are pretty good that I’ve faced the same challenges during the last 20 years of training and racing.